20 . _...>:;:::(: f). . . "N::::;" , ::1#[ ' ; . ',";jf'" .-.;.:-:"-;-::' . .--, ',J 'I, {;;l .."i,:;l: - =:' .:: ::?:::: . - ',.:-:.:.:.:.' ::..:.;.;.. .: ::.:;....: .(,;:,.." ='f:::j(; :.;.=:.;.:. :".;' : .;.f;;:-:: ./fA rej I '"fJ. """,( tOWi' :' ::: " = O f, UI , : , . , , : , .. , ' : ' , ' , ' , ' , ' , . " . , . , : , . , :: , ... , ' . ; , :; , , ?,;.:o. " :':":'t ,..' i. I;' . / Æ ' . ,,; :.....:..."::f.::: , J , r , , : , ' , , ': , J , 1 i',<, ....,/. ".. ... ":t\ " /<,ii : 'i: ..:1 L .{ . ": ,""'" , : , " , " , , ' ; , ,:,": ',;'",'!: i : :":::, %7' .} ;;"2 . ;:' 2*. . ffi' -M<<:' '.. '______' '" . .= .t'; .::,= tV'# rr' , }, . :. . ." ::: .; . V l '/" ;,:' , '.. x. ,,', J f J âii#. ; ; . .:.;:;:':;'V" . ;1f: :::ri' ,/ '..4. 'fA .. l (; t'l :;% #- "",,:t t, tfW ?!;'", r"<frff' ;'" ',g W , "f , , l' "; w í :- :) ; $: . . ...... ':'; ;: t : ....<<.:- (( H e always does thinKS with a certain éclat." I was pretty sure maybe he'd won. You only had to go a few hundred yards once you got in the stadium. We start- ed to go in and a bobby tried to stop Cameron-said something about only runners was allowed in there. Cameron jumped down off the bike and grabbed it and hung it on that Englishman's neck. I laughed so hard I darn near stopped runnin'. "When I got in on the track, people were yellin' and shoutin' and Hingin' their arms, and when they seen me they began to roar louder. I could see a man ahead of me runnin' and fallin' and gettin' up and runnin' a little and fallin' down again, about two hundred yards ahead of me. That was Dorando and he was all in. He had only a few steps to go to win, but he couldn't make it. I see the officials pick him . . up and carry him across the line like a sacka dried apples-he couldn't 've done it himself. He was through. I just kept on goin' and crossed the line O.K." . Thus the story of the heartbreaking race up to that point. When Hayes crossed the line, bedlam broke out a- mong the officials, the audience, and the athletes. Sympathy was divided be- tween the plucky little Italian, who in private life was a candy-store keeper, and the sturdy little American, who had been a clerk in Bloomingdale's depart- ment store (a job of his to which we will revert). The Italian flag flew at the top of the victory pole for two hours before reason and the rules of the race prevailed; then it was hauled down and the Stars and Stripes were run to the top. With only a few yards to go, dULY -+, 1 9 b ;:.. .. : :. the Italian had fallen practically unconscious. He had been lifted to his feet several times; restoratives had been administered; he was finally actually dragged over the line by one of the officials, the Clerk of the Course. That was against all the rules of Olympic competi- tion. Johnny Hayes had unquestionably won, and strong men who had wept for the I tal- ian finally dried their tears and cheered for the American. When things quieted down, Queen Alexandra pre- sented Johnny Hayes with the Olympicmara- thon trophy, a sixty- pound statuette. "None of the limeys had the sense to give me a hand so I could lift it down off the platform," Johnny told us. "Her Majesty finally had to tip 'em the high sign herself, they were that dumb." So Johnny Hayes came back to a New York that hadn't had a good chance to cheer a hero since Richmond Pearson Hobson came back from the war with Spain. Those were great days for Johnny, in 1908. President Roose- velt received him at the White House. "By George," said T.R., grinning and squeezing Johnny's hand, "that was a bully race! " Young Mr. Hayes' fame was lasting enough, by the way, for him to be received in later years by Presidents Taft and Wilson. The latter greeted Johnny and his bride when they went to Washington on their honeymoon. She was a girl named Riley, and they now have a twenty-one-year- old daughter. But it couldn't be all cheers and kisses, for Johnny had a living to think about, and a chance to get in the money. He got in the money, too. First he went on a vaudeville tour, making $500 a week. But that was just a prelude for what was naturally to follow, American promoters being what they are. Dorando Pietri was brought over from Italy to meet his conqueror '..':..-: :-; M::-';' ;;': ;..::'-.. -:' ":'(}-,,",, ,.....:<{.... .jo. , : 'r' '<-" ,,,i .11$. .